Hana Saku Iroha 03 – Balut

After the previous episode ended on a very sudden and dramatic high, I was all set to applaud Hana Saku Iroha for its brilliant delivery and creativity. Regrettably I can no longer do so. It’s almost as if the writing staff wanted to end on something quite shocking but didn’t have the balls to carry suit in the next episode. If the premise had been taken even half seriously, episode three would have been a tough act to follow. Instead they went for some light-hearted romp.

Ohana finds herself taken hostage and tied bondage style by the potential rapist/paedophile novelist of whom porn she stumbled upon at the end of the last episode. However as it transpires he is neither, just a failed writer trying to put together a porn novel in order to pay his bill. Ohana gets a case of Stockholm syndrome and decides to read his sex story about her and the other hostesses. Seriously did this child get dropped on the head repeatedly? Last week I discussed how genuine I felt her character was, this week Ohana relapsed.

Does it end there? Does it feck! As if this situation wasn’t bad enough, the creepy novelist attempts to make a quick get away after being discovered, only to have the inns entire staff in hot pursue. Hang about hasn’t the old battleaxe spend most of her screen time banging on about the importance of customer service? I mean, who is supposed to be running the inn? Or is this guy the only customer they have? Is this why they need his money so badly? As it happens, no, they don’t. Once they have the creepy freeloader cornered, he immediately threatens suicide and the inn staff respond with a little powwow, ultimately letting him out of his debt. Excuse me Madam Manager, did you miss the part where this geezer kidnapped your own grandchild?

Then they all proceed to have a group meal. Screw the paying, law-abiding customers.

Verdict: Average/borderline stupid